In His Own Image
by Asulli
Summary: Jess Mariano spent some time in California but when he returns to his hometown, New York, he counts on his best friend to help him change his identity. He becomes Peter Petrelli and starts to have these dreams and he thinks only Rory would understand him
1. I think I can Fly

AN: Gilmore Girls/ Heroes crossover. After Jess leaves for California, Rory Gilmore never sees or hears from him. Jess spent some time in California but when he returns to his hometown, New York, he counts on his best friend to help him change his identity. He becomes Peter Petrelli, making it near impossible for someone looking for 'Jess Mariano' to find him. He starts to have these realistic dreams, feeling that he was meant to do something extraordinary…

**Chapter 1: **

**I think I can Fly…**

I was standing on the edge, looking down into the alley beneath me. It was at least ten stories. My head was pounding in my chest as I outstretched my arms and closed my eyes. I shuffled my feet nervously. I took a step forward off of the building and began to fall. I closed my eyes tight and thought about her. I wasn't falling anymore. I opened my eyes to discover that I was hovering. I took a sharp intake of breath before I lost all concentration and began falling again. The ground was getting closer and then…

I sat straight up in my bed and looked blankly around my apartment. It was a dream… I had been having these weird dreams a lot lately. They seemed so real; sometimes I was falling, sometimes I was flying. That's impossible though…people can't fly. I glanced over at the green numbers of my alarm clock. It was a quarter to six and I knew I wasn't going to get anymore sleep. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and sat still for a moment, staring at my feet. Suddenly and without warning, he could see her face in his mind. It had been almost a year since he had seen her…talked to her. She was the only one that would understand what was going on inside him. She was the only one who understood his heart…

--

Rory Gilmore woke up with a start. She had dreamt of him again. She stared at the clock; it wasn't even six yet. In her dream, he was in New York, jumping of a building. She hoped that he was okay. He had left for California nearly a year ago. She hadn't heard from him since the one phone call that might not have even been him. Since then, she had been having weird dreams of him. They always ended with him falling to his death. To her they were nightmares. She had loved him so much but that all seemed so long ago. Maybe her dreams were telling her something. Maybe he needed her.

She smiled at the thought that he might need her. She thought of where he might be. Her dreams all took place in New York. Maybe that's where he was. He closed her eyes tight and let sleep overtake her body.

--

I walked down the streets of New York. Everywhere I went seemed all too familiar. That's when I saw it…the building from my dreams. I broke out into a run trying to get there faster. Maybe I had been dreaming the future all this time. Maybe I was supposed to jump off that building. I had tried to talk to Nathan Petrelli but he didn't believe me. I had met Nathan years ago when I was young. When I returned to New York, Nathan helped me. He helped me escape my past. I lost Jess Mariano, the guy that I was. Nathan helped me become Peter Petrelli. We lied to the world and said that I was his younger brother. I needed to get away from being Jess Mariano and Nathan was the only one willing to help.

When I reached the top of the building, I looked over the edge. The ally was there, just like in my dream. The New York skyline stretched out in front of me. So this was it. I'd step off this building and either fall or fly. I would fall to my death or I would discover that I'm not who I thought I was. I stood at the edge and outstretched my arms and shut my eyes tight. I shuffled my feet nervously. I suddenly felt selfish. If I die, then Rory will have never known how I felt. I was about to step off the ledge until I heard Nathan Petrelli, he was standing beneath me in the alley.

"What are you doing, Pete?" Nathan asked concerned. I scoffed. It was amazing how he had known me almost my whole life as Jess but able to call me by my fake name so easily.

"You didn't hear anything I said earlier today, did you?" I yelled back down to him. He looked worried, almost scared.

"What that bit about how you can fly? Yeah I did. I'm gonna pretend for both our sakes that you didn't say anything like that!" Nathan yelled back up at me. It was clear to me that he had no idea what to do.

"It's my turn to be somebody now, Nathan!" I spoke evenly and closed my eyes. I outstretched my arms like I had in my dreams and I stepped off the ledge. I noticed all too quickly that I was falling, not flying…


	2. We could be Heroes

**Chapter 2: We could be Heroes…**

"It's my turn to be somebody now, Nathan!" I spoke evenly and closed my eyes. I outstretched my arms like I had in my dreams and I stepped off the ledge. I noticed all too quickly that I was falling, not flying…

I was falling fast. This was it I was crazy. I shut my eyes tight. _I'm sorry Rory._ It was the last thing I thought before I felt someone grab my hand. I quickly opened my eyes to see Nathan.

"You're flying, Nathan. You're flying. How did you...?" I stuttered as we were somewhere between flying and falling.

"I don't know." Nathan replied as he tried to hold his grip. I could tell he was lying; I was about to call him on it but then my hand slipped from his grasp and I fell.

"No…NO!" I heard Nathan scream before I hit the ground. Everything went black.

--

When I opened my eyes, I didn't know where I was. I didn't know what had happened. Nathan was standing above me, he gave me a small smile of relief.

"Where am I?" I asked him, sitting up slightly.

"You're in the hospital." Nathan said matter-of-factly. I really hated that about him. He always knew everything.

"What happened?" I asked carefully, not knowing if I really wanted to know. Nathan paused for a few long moments.

"You don't remember?" He asked cautiously.

"No." I stated nervously.

"You jumped, Pete." He spoke quietly and turned his head to the right.

"Jumped?" I questioned. That couldn't be, I'm not suicidal, I never have been.

"Off the roof of a 15-story building. You tried to kill yourself. You were a little wound up yesterday, but I thought you were just you being you." Nathan spoke slowly and without shame. I knew he was lying through his teeth. Suddenly it all came back to me. The building from my elaborate dreams; I jumped to fly but I didn't fly, Nathan did!

"What are you talking about? I didn't try to kill myself. You were in the alley below. I jumped and you....you flew." I stuttered as I spoke, trying to contain my excitement, my confusion.

"I what?" Nathan asked unbelievingly.

"You flew up and you caught me." I said plainly. I knew what had happened, I'm not crazy. Well I am crazy; I jumped off a building hoping to fly, but still.

"You jumped, Peter. Twenty-five feet to a fire escape. I climbed up and carried you down. That's what happened. The rest is just crazy talk. Understand?" He treated me like I really was his younger brother. He was obviously annoyed with me so I nodded my head in agreement. He leaned down and hugged me.

"Glad you're okay, Pete." He said with his 'presidential smile' as he left the room.

I was left alone in the hospital. I knew what had happened, Nathan was just trying to cover it up. It wouldn't look good for the election if there were rumors about him being able to fly. I knew that he was all about his image; me jumping wasn't any good for him either. Since our little secret made us brothers, me being suicidal looked bad on Nathan's part. If word got out, it might hit the news. I thought for a moment about how disastrous that would be. My mom could see it and freak out. Luke could see it and get confused. Or Rory could see it and freak out and be confused. Either way it could not end well.

--

Night had fallen and they had let me out of the hospital. I was about to head home, but instead I went to the rooftop. I sat at the edge and smiled, looking down at New York. I wasn't trying to kill myself. I wasn't like that. I pulled out my cell phone and called Nathan. I told him that I was on the hospital's rooftop and that he needed to come right away. He told me not to do anything stupid and that he was on his way. I smiled in spite of myself. I stood on the ledge and waited for Nathan to come. I turned and noticed Nathan there.

"Don't do anything stupid, Peter." He said cautiously. I shook my head.

"Tell me what happened, Nathan." I demanded. Nathan didn't speak so I continued. "When I jumped. Tell me you flew. I want to hear you say, that you flew." I knew that it was true, but I had to hear him say it. He was all too silent. "Tell me or I jump again!" I took a small step backwards towards the ledge. "Good luck on your campaign when I'm splattered all over the ground below." I said and right before I took the last step he spoke.

"All right! You want the truth?" He wasn't happy with me and I could tell, but I had to know that I wasn't crazy. I grounded myself and nodded my head.

"We both flew." Nathan said carefully. This made me angry. I began to move towards him.

"I am sick and tired of your lies, Nathan!" I yelled at him and he looked down.

"Uh Peter?" He motioned for me to look down. When I did, I saw that I was floating in midair. I fell to my feet and ran over to Nathan, pulling him into a hug. I was beside myself.

"I did it…I can fly, we can fly." I stumbled around my words and Nathan pulled away and gave me a serious look.

"You can't tell anyone about this. If people thought I could fly, they wouldn't vote for me." Nathan stated sadly. I scoffed.

"Why the hell run for senator when we can do this? We can save the world, Nathan." I said confidently. I knew that it was a lot, but it was the right thing to do. If I was really this extraordinary, then I was meant to be a hero.

"You go save the world, Pete. This is what I want. Just…promise me you won't tell anyone about me." Nathan spoke with urgency in his voice. It was clear to me that the last thing he wanted was to be a hero.

"I promise. Besides, that's what brothers are for, right?" I laughed lightly and patted him on the shoulder. He laughed with me and nodded. I always remember Nathan as that kid who used to run around Washington Square Park with me, pretending to be a superhero. I was probably seven, he was ten. We would run around in our capes and fly off to save people. Those days were long gone now. I was nineteen now and hadn't felt the need to be there for anyone else except myself. I hadn't wanted to "save people" since I was a kid. Things change though; sometimes you become someone you never knew you could be before. I realized that I am not who I thought I was…I am so much more.


	3. Rory?

**Chapter 3: Rory?**

It had been a week since I jumped. It had been week since I flew. I stood in my apartment in a suit. Today was Nathan's press conference and since I was "family" I was supposed to be there. I hated dressing up but I owed it to Nathan. I looked down at the ground and closed my eyes. When I reopened them, I was hovering a foot off the ground. I smiled to myself and let me feet return to the floor. I was getting better at controlling this, along with the other abilities I had started to pick up.

I had met a cop who, when I encountered, gave me a splitting headache. After that I was able to read minds, like him. I had somehow absorbed his ability. It was something that I was just now being able to control. After days of listening to thoughts I didn't want to hear, I learned to shut it on and off like a radio. I smiled and looked at myself in the mirror. Rory was right when she said she bet I'd look good in a suit. We had been supposed to go to prom together, but since I had skipped school so much, I couldn't buy tickets. They wanted me to be held back and retake senior year but I couldn't bring myself to doing it. So instead, my uncle kicked me out and I left the girl I love to spend a couple months in California with my bum dad who hadn't cared about me until now. I knew that I had screwed up. I mean, I didn't even say goodbye to Rory…that was a mistake. When I look back, I remember why I became Peter Petrelli. It was because being Jess Mariano was too unbearable. I couldn't take being a letdown to everyone.

I picked up my keys and headed out the door.

--

The press conference was pretty nice. There was Nathan's family and friends, as well as members of the press. I walked over to the bar and took my drink to an empty table. I obviously looked older than I was because the bartender didn't even question me. I took a sip of my champagne just as I saw Simone come over and sit by me.

"Hey Peter." She said sweetly. She was with Isaac Mendez, the painter. He could paint the future, and ever since I met him, so can I. Simone never believed that he could paint the future though, so I kept it to myself.

"Hey Simone, how's Isaac?" I asked. She was a few years older than me, but we had met awhile back and became good friends.

"He's fine. I don't really want to talk about him though. Let's toast…" She suggested, raising her glass. I nodded and smiled.

"To destiny. May we recognize it when we see it." I said with a smile as I raised my glass.

"To love. May we stay away from it when it's no good for us." Simone added as we clinked glasses and took a sip. Both toasts had related to me in a way. I had just discovered that my destiny was greater than I had ever thought, and to love…that was a whole other story.

Nathan came up on stage and the crowd settled down. I smiled proudly at him. He accomplished so much in a day it was amazing. He introduced himself and began shortly afterwards with his speech. Nathan was always one for speeches.

"As many of you might have read, my brother Peter had an accident. But what I've kept from the press thus far is that, Peter barely survived a suicide attempt. My first instinct was to keep his illness hidden but no one should suffer alone because we are all connected somehow." Nathan smiled as he used me for a leap in his career. The cameras turned to my shocked face and I did the only think I could think of. I turned the other way and got out of there as fast as possible.

I loosened my tie as I walked down the streets of New York. Nathan's speech will be all over the news. It'll hit all over the world. How could he do that to me? As soon as my real family sees it, I'll be toast. I hadn't told any of them about changing my name, so they'd have that to hold over me, plus now they'd think I'm suicidal. Great. I had thought that I was getting away from my past but this piece of news would just bring my past to me.

--

I had been sitting in my apartment, staring at the phone all night. Last night had been terrible. I felt like Nathan had betrayed me. I decided that I better go and see what the damage was. I dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and made my way the newsstand, it was a block away.

When I got there I was horrified to see that they had my picture. I had seen them getting footage of me bolting, but I hadn't noticed the flashing of cameras. The countries best papers had me plastered on their front page. The most popular headline among the papers was 'Petrelli Brother Jumps'. It was catchy, I had to give them that. The New York Times seemed to have the best picture of me. I had a look of shock mixed with anger, which is a facial expression that the people of Stars Hollow would know all too well.

I turned on my heel and headed back to my apartment. I was coming up on my apartment Lobby when my cell phone rang.

"Petrelli bother jumps, how can I help you?" I answered with a sarcastic tone. The other line was silent, but I knew they were there, I could hear them breathing.

"Hello? Listen, I don't know who this is, but I didn't jump to kill myself…I'm not suicidal." I spoke softly with a hint of regret in my voice. I hung up my phone. They obviously didn't want to talk to me.

--

Later that day, I was sitting on my couch watching the news. The speech was played over and over again. I saw myself bolting out of the building several times, reliving it. My cell phone rang again. The number was the same as before. I looked at the area code and recognized it as a Connecticut phone line. It was probably Uncle Luke or maybe even Liz. I answered again.

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone and again no one answered. "Listen, I know that this is a Connecticut phone line. I know that you're someone from my past, I just don't know who. I'm sorry that I changed my name…I wanted to escape being a let down to everyone I met…I wanted to be somebody. I hope you understand…" I spoke to the silent line. I knew it was somebody I knew well but until they spoke, I'd never know.

"Please say something…" I begged quietly into the phone. I had to know who it was. I heard them take a deep breath.

"J-Jess?" A female voice mused timidly from the phone. It clicked in my mind and I found myself smiling.

"Rory?"


	4. Genesis

**AN: Hey, trying to get more readers, so please send it to your friends;;**

Previously...

"_Please say something…" I begged quietly into the phone. I had to know who it was. I heard them take a deep breath._

"_J-Jess?" A female voice mused timidly from the phone. It clicked in my mind and I found myself smiling._

"_Rory?"_

**Chapter 4: Genesis**

"Jess…I thought I'd never hear your voice again." Her voice had broken and I knew that by now, tears were falling.

"Shhh, it's okay." I said softly into the phone. "There were so many times that I wanted to call you, but I never knew what I could say…"

"I've spent the last year thinking about you. Then I started have nightmares and I thought the worst…then today I see your picture in the paper, and…" Her voice trailed off and I could hear her crying softly.

"I'm sorry, Rory." I spoke as evenly as I could but I knew she could hear the hurt in my voice. It was the first time I think I've ever spoken those words and meant them. "Not a day goes by that I haven't thought of you. Lately, I've really needed you. So much is happening and I'm not who I used to be. Hell, I'm not even Jess Mariano anymore. I go by Peter Petrelli now…" I had so much to tell her, but not over the phone. It had to be face to face so that I could chase her when she'd try to run.

"I don't understand. I mean a new name doesn't change who you are…How can you no longer be my Jess? I mean now you are Peter? It just…doesn't make any sense." Rory stuttered her words. I could tell that she was confused and nervous.

"I'll always be _your _Jess, but I'm not the same guy you knew a year ago. I have changed so much." I stated with a smile.

"I know. I saw your picture, your longer hair." She laughed lightly and I felt my heart melt. "You look a lot older than when I last saw you…" I smiled to myself. She thought I had changed solely on my appearances. She didn't realize that my attitude had changed, and she sure didn't know that my genetics had changed.

"I didn't mean just my appearances. I've changed in ways you couldn't imagine. I am capable of doing incredible things…" I said in daze.

"You've always been capable of doing incredible things. You just never believed in yourself the way that I did." Rory spoke softly. I knew that this phone call would have to end soon, but I didn't want it to. I wanted to keep her on the phone forever. I wanted to hear her loving voice just a little longer.

"Listen, I'm in New York now. I spend most of my weekends reading in Washington Square Park." I smirked to myself. I had told her the same thing years ago and she had come to me. I was hoping that it would happen again. "I hope to see you soon, Rory…" I spoke evenly.

"I hope so too. Bye Je- uh, I mean Peter." She stuttered nervously. I laughed lightly.

"Goodbye Rory." I spoke softly. With a click, I reluctantly hung up the phone. I stretched out on my couch and closed my eyes. Her voice was still in my head, the memories of us came rushing back and for the first time since I left Stars Hollow, I let myself remember. I let myself remember every moment I had spent with her. I smiled as I let sleep take over my body.

--

It was Saturday morning. I smiled and grabbed a pair of jeans and a green polo shirt. I quickly pulled my gray hoodie over my outfit and grabbed the book I was reading. It was about genetics. It was written about the possibility of there being people, no more unique than everyone else, evolving and having a special ability of sorts. I figured that it was something I needed to read.

Once outside my apartment building, I flagged a taxi and rode to Washington Square Park where I had baited Rory by telling her that's where I'd be this weekend. I saw my favorite bench empty, so I swooped in and sprawled out, opening my book.

I had sat and read on that same bench since I was ten. I remember sneaking out of my house, unnoticed by Liz, and escaping to my place. I would live in a world of books day after day. I remember that when I was fourteen, I skipped school for the first time. I had gotten into a fight with Liz that morning about one of her many boyfriends. I was ticked off and instead of going to school; I came here to this exact bench. I remember I read _Oliver Twist_, my favorite book.

I shook my head from free from all the memories and focused on my book. I was greatly interested in all this genetics stuff. There were others besides Nathan and me. This guy knew what he was talking about. I just wish I could find this Suresh guy.

--

It had been a good three hours and I had finished the book. I kept it open on the last page and stared at it. Then, destiny came my way. A tall Indian man came and sat beside me. His eyes were dark and his hair was curly. He didn't seem dangerous, but safe.

"Interesting reading." The man said, pointing towards my book. I nodded.

"Yeah, this Chaundra Suresh guy has an interesting take on genetics." I said carefully. He looked trustworthy, but this was New York and you could never be too careful in New York.

"Do you believe any of it?" The man asked, intrigued.

"Well…yeah." I said in a hopeful voice. The man extended his hand and I shook it.

"My name is Mohinder Suresh, and that man was my father." He said with a smile. I smiled back at him.

"I'm Peter Petrelli and I can…well, I can absorb other people's abilities." I dropped my voice for the last part so that only he could hear me. He nodded as if that was the most normal statement he'd ever heard. I shot him a crooked smile as we began to discuss my new found abilities.

**AN: Okay, so Rory didn't show up, but it seems that Peter has met an important person. In case you haven't noticed, this story doesn't exactly follow either of the storylines. He has already discovered how to control his abilities (for the most part)**


	5. Learning to Fall

Previously…

"_My name is Mohinder Suresh, and that man was my father." He said with a smile. I smiled back at him._

"_I'm Peter Petrelli and I can…well, I can absorb other people's abilities." I dropped my voice for the last part so that only he could hear me. He nodded as if that was the most normal statement he'd ever heard. I shot him a crooked smile as we began to discuss my new found abilities._

**Chapter 5: Learning To Fall**

I shuffled through my apartment, looking for a sketchbook. I finally found one and grabbed some colored pencils as I plopped myself down onto my couch. Yesterday had been an eventful day. I had been visited by a guy from the future. He said I didn't know him yet, but he knew me. He said to go see Isaac, the painter. He gave me a message: _Save the cheerleader, save the world. _All night, the six words tumbled around aimlessly in my head. I had gone to see Isaac but was not much closer to discovering who this cheerleader was or where to find her. I sat twiddling a black pencil in my hand.

I should have been thinking of how to find the cheerleader, how to save her; but instead Rory was on my mind. I had gotten sidetracked yesterday, but today I was determined to find out if she was coming. I closed my eyes and thought of Isaac's ability to compose the future through his art. I felt the power come over me. I pried my eyes tighter and thought of Rory. When I opened my eyes, I saw a scene play out in front of me. I traced the lines with my pencil. Over and over again, the strokes of an artistic movement that I had never learned happened before my blank eyes. I couldn't physically stop until it was done, and as for the scene, when I was done drawing it, I soon forgot the story behind the image.

I blinked several times and was pulled out of my daze. I stared intensely at the colored sketch in front of me. It consisted mostly of lines, unlike Isaac's perfectly strained art. It was clearly a moment at Washington Square Park. It was me, at my reading bench. I was turned around in conversation with the girl I had been without for far too long. For some reason, I had written names by each person. Over her perfect figure, _Rory _was scripted neatly. However, when I looked over at the man I assumed was me, I saw _Peter_ written perfectly. I found it odd. I figured that with Rory, I'd go by Jess. However, now I was beginning to think that she should just call me Peter. It seemed that that was the name I was supposed to be called, for whatever reason. I looked over at the clock, it was nearly ten a.m. I jumped up, leaving my sketch on the couch, and getting dressed.

It was a cool, crisp fall day. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a thin black hoodie. I slipped into an old pair of black, hi-top converses that I had possessed for a couple years now. I quickly tied the laces and grabbed my blue jacket and headed out the door.

--

I had been sitting on my bench for a little over an hour. Countless people had walked by, and I had only read a few chapters in the book I had brought. It was Oliver Twist, my favorite, but I couldn't concentrate on the words. I was too eager for the future I had drawn this morning. I glanced around me for the hundredth time before reluctantly deciding to stick my nose back into my book.

I hadn't noticed footsteps, and I had sunken too deeply into my book to hear her thoughts, but when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I knew it was her. I marked my place in my head and closed the book. I looked up at her with a crooked smile.

"Hey." I couldn't stop smiling. She was so beautiful, standing right in front of me for the first time in over a year. She was real, unlike all the dreams; I could reach out and touch her. She pushed a strand of her shorter brown hair behind her ear and smiled.

"Hi." She offered. We both noticed all too quickly that this was going to be awkward. I laughed lightly and stood up to face her.

"Rory, can we just skip past all the awkward stuff and just let me take you to this amazing coffee shop around the block?" I shoved the paperback book into my back pocket and shrugged slightly. Rory laughed softly.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She said with a smile as I led her down the streets of New York in a comfortable silence that neither wanted to break with words.

--

"Oh here we go again!" I said sarcastically as we made our way through New York with our coffees in to-go cups. "_The Fountainhead_ was a complete waste of paper. I mean seriously, no good can come from writing a 40 page monologue." I argued my point with a familiar smile. Rory scoffed.

"Ayn Rand is amazing and for your information, nobody can write a 40 page monologue like her!" Rory took a giant sip of her coffee and I smiled. "Besides, what do you know about writing?" A sincere smile played on my face.

"Actually, I tend to write in my spare time." I said proudly as we walked. The sun was about to set and I knew that I had to show her what I had been up to in New York. Rory smiled at me.

"Grocery lists don't count, Jess." Rory said sarcastically with a laugh. I flinched slightly as she spoke my name for the first time today.

"Uhm…it's Peter." I stated nervously. I hated correcting her like that. It made me feel like a big jerk, but after I had subconsciously written 'Peter' on my sketch, I knew that there was a reason. Rory looked down, suddenly ashamed.

"Oh, right…I'm sorry." She stumbled over her words. I shrugged my shoulders and looked down at my shoes.

"It's fine." I looked up and noticed that we were in front of the building that I had jumped from. This was my chance to explain, to tell her everything. "Hey, come here!" I exclaimed with a smile, grabbing her hand and leading her to the roof of the building.

Once we were on top of the building, I pointed at the New York skyline as the sun began to set. A beautiful array of colors awaited the sunset just like any other day. However, today the colors were more intense and the sunset was more beautiful than I had ever seen it before. I stepped up onto the ledge and Rory looked at me nervously.

"You're not going to jump are you?" She joked in a shaky voice. I laughed aloud, not entirely meaning to. I gazed into her icy blue eyes before looking back out at the sunset.

"I can do incredible things, Rory, things that you could never imagine. These things that I can do are far from normal, and at first, I scared even myself with them." I took a deep breath and stepped down from the ledge towards her. "When I said I had changed, you have no idea. I don't know why these things happened to me, but they have and…I need you...I need you to- to be here for me…" I looked down sideways with a sad look on my face. Rory took several quick steps towards me and rested her hand on my cheek, causing me to look back into her deep blue eyes.

"I will always be here for you, even if I can't understand…I don't know what you're talking about, but if you'll explain it to me, I know I can understand." Rory said carefully. I could tell that she was starting to believe that I really was suicidal, and I didn't even have to invade her thoughts for that, I could see it in her eyes.

"I don't know. I might scare you…" I said cautiously. Rory's hands found mine and held them tight, giving me all the encouragement I needed.

"Tell me." She spoke softly, angelic even. I gave her my crooked smiled and looked her in the eyes, getting lost into the blue abyss.

"Okay. Think of a secret, something only you would know." I said a little too excitedly. She looked at me oddly.

"Why?" She asked like any normal person would. I smiled.

"Just trust me." I said convincingly. She closed her eyes and reopened them. "Got it?" I asked, Rory nodded and I concentrated hard. I could see the cop in my head, then I began to hear many other noise. I narrowed it down to just Rory.

_When I was young, I used to sneak out after my mom was asleep. I went to the bridge to read…it was my escape from life –Rory_

Her thoughts rang through my ears and I smiled. "Okay, when you were young, you used to sneak out when Lorelai was asleep. You went to the bridge to read." I said with a smile. Rory gaped at me.

"How'd you do that?" She asked, shocked. I took a deep breath.

"I can read people's minds." I said it with a straight face and with my most serious tone. I didn't think it sounded like a joke until Rory started laughing.

"Yeah right!" She laughed and I stared at her, obviously hurt.

"No, I'm serious. I can read minds, I can fly, I can paint the future, Rory, this isn't a joke, I'm being serious!" I had raised my voice near the end to get her attention. Her expression went from amused to annoyed.

"Je- Peter, how stupid do you think I am? You're talking about being able to do the things a comic book character could do. You're ridiculous! I mean I come all the way here to New York and you use me to tell all your stupid lies to so that you can avoid us talking about you attempting suicide, and-!" Rory was yelling at me, but I cut her off and pointed at her accusingly.

"I did _not _attempt suicide!" I yelled back at her. Rory scoffed.

"So you didn't jump off a building?" She asked rhetorically.

"Yes I did jump off a building…this building actually." I stated, calming down. Rory stared at me, disappointed.

"How could you do that to me? What if you had died? I would have never seen you again, never gotten to tell you how I feel…"Rory trailed off as a few tear rolled down her cheeks. I wiped them away with the pad of my thumb.

"I wouldn't have died. I can fly…"I spoke weakly. The excuse held no meaning to her, it would only upset her. I kissed her cheek lovingly and stepped back onto the ledge. She watched me, her blue eyes round and dark with fear.

"What are you doing? Don't jump…please." Rory watched me carefully as tears fell like rain. It hurt me to hurt her, but it also hurt me to think that she thought I'd lie to her. I stepped backwards towards the ledge.

"No!" I heard Rory's scream fill the crisp air as I took on more step off the ledge. I began to fall fast…

**AN: Ahh yes, another fun cliffhanger. What happens to Peter? Will he be able to fly? What about Rory? We'll see soon :)**


	6. Always your Artful Dodger

Previously…

"I wouldn't have died. I can fly…"I spoke weakly. The excuse held no meaning to her, it would only upset her. I kissed her cheek lovingly and stepped back onto the ledge. She watched me, her blue eyes round and dark with fear.

"What are you doing? Don't jump…please." Rory watched me carefully as tears fell like rain. It hurt me to hurt her, but it also hurt me to think that she thought I'd lie to her. I stepped backwards towards the ledge.

"No!" I heard Rory's scream fill the crisp air as I took on more step off the ledge. I began to fall fast…

**Chapter 6: Always your Artful Dodger**

My body felt weightless as it fell through the air. Rory's scream had pierced my ears and my heart. I thought of Nathan who I was still at arms length with. I remembered flying, the feeling it gave me. I felt my body catch as somebody had caught me. I hovered for a moment before I flew up shakily. I hadn't exactly gotten used to flying yet…it was pretty new for me and the directional part still gave me trouble.

After what felt like forever, Rory came back into my view. I landed clumsily onto the ledge that I had jumped from twice now. She stared at me, shocked for a mere moment before I felt her body crash into mine. She buried her face into my chest as I held her tightly. She pulled away all to quickly, wiping away a few tears with her sleeve.

"How?" Rory choked out the single word and I shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I met a guy, Mohinder Suresh and he says its natural selection. That some people, no different from anyone else, have this altering gene within them…" I answered honestly. I had no reason to lie to her, and I'm sure she saw that by now. Rory nodded with little understanding.

"Are you glad? That you have these…abilities?" Rory asked him carefully. I could tell that she wasn't really sure what to say to me now. I shrugged.

"In a way, I always knew I was different. But then again, I'll have to go my whole life hiding…" I trailed off and decided that we should get off the rooftop and get indoors. New York wasn't all that safe at night. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" I asked quietly, timidly.

"No." Rory breathed shakily. It was amazing how we were so confident, so brave and yet, together we seemed so weak, so shy. For being someone who jumped off a building, welcoming the possibility of dying, my feelings for Rory Gilmore scared me to death. She was the only one who ever made me feel this way, and that's how it's supposed to be.

"Come on." I said with a small smile and the jerk of my head. "You can stay with me." She nodded slowly and followed me as I led her to my apartment building. A comfortable silence fell between us as we walked. I wanted desperately to speak to her but I was too afraid that my words would ruin everything, so I stayed silent.

--

Once back in my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and left them by the front door. I headed towards the kitchen while Rory hesitated to follow.

"You want a soda?" I asked her with a smile.

"No, I'm good." Rory said shyly. Whoa, déjà vu. It was like going back to when they had first gotten together. The awkwardness, the soda thing, everything fell right back into place.

"Mkay, well make yourself at home." I said in an abnormal relaxed tone. I was surprised by my ability to hide my fear. I smiled as she loosened up and began to look around. First, she went to my bookcase and browsed it casually.

"Where's Oliver Twist?" She asked almost, alarmed. I smiled. Oliver Twist was my favorite book, it had always gotten me through the tough times in my life and Rory knew this. Of course, my original copy of Oliver Twist was on the shelf, right in front of her. However, we both knew that she spoke of the pocket version that she had gotten me for my seventeenth birthday, the one she had added her own marginal notes in just for me. I smirked and pulled it out of my back pocket, holding it up for her to see.

"I never leave home without it. I may not always read it, but I refer back to the notes you left for me within it." I said sweetly. I joined her in the living room and plopped myself down onto the couch. She soon joined me on the couch, sitting a good distance away from me, but that didn't matter to me. Being in the same room with her brought me enough joy for now.

As I was lost in my own thoughts, Rory eye had caught the drawing the laid peacefully on the coffee table. I didn't realize it until she reached for it. I stared at her nervously awaiting her sweet voice. It came after studying the sketch for several long minutes…

"You can draw?" She asked skeptically.

"I guess." I replied with a shrug. Any minute now she'd realize that it was today's scene in the park.

"Wait," She started, and I knew I was in for it. "Nevermind…" She said, returning the picture back to its place on the table. Did she just drop it? Did she really just ignore a perfectly awkward conversation about my new found specialties? Something must be wrong…I concentrated hard and read her mind.

He's not Jess. He's someone completely different now. He's Peter, and Peter has special abilities to do odd things that nobody else can. He's not my Jess anymore; I can't even pretend that he is… -Rory

Hearing her thoughts made me wish I could hurl myself off a building without flying. Suddenly, I wished that I had never acquired these strange powers. I saw them as a gift, but now they were a curse to me. They were the only things standing in the way of me being with the girl I loved. Why did this happen to me? I must have had a strange expression on my face because it caused Rory to speak aloud.

"Are you okay, Peter?" She asked knowing that I wasn't. I shook my head, staring at her with hurt eyes.

"I'm the same person, Rory. I've never been someone other than me and I never will be. I screwed thing up and became someone I'm not. I can't go back and change it, and I can't get rid of these abilities…but I'm still me." I took a deep breath and looked down, avoiding eye contact. "I'll always be your Jess…your artful Dodger."

Rory smiled softly at me knowing that I was being honest with her. She looked back at the picture on the table and smiled.

"So you drew that before today, huh? It's well-sketched, I have to hand it to you." She spoke with a grin on her face. She was trying to show me that my honest words had paid off. She was rewarding me by showing me that she could accept the new me at the thought that I'd always be her Jess.


End file.
